KCCG’s Planting Planning Calculator

Before you use this tool you will need to make a map of your garden, detailing where and how much of each crop you would like to grow in each growing season (spring, summer and fall). You will use this information for all of the following steps.

NOTE: Do not open Calculator in Google Chrome

The Planting Plan Calculator will combine the information you give it in order to calculate the following:

Potential harvest dates

Number of plants and seeds packs you will need to order

Number of pounds of chicken manure fertilizer you will need

Number of straw bales you’ll need for mulching this yearAn estimate of how much money you’ll need to budget for your garden

How to use the Planting Plan Calculator:

Step 1: Fill out the Contact Page

In order for this calculator to work properly, you must fill in all the information in this section.

Select the type of membership you have.

Insert your name (if you are filling this out as an individual just enter your name, if you are filling this out for a group insert the garden name).

Insert your email address (this will allow us to send you updates and future tools to help with your garden plan).

Insert your garden size. Note: you should enter this in sq/ft. Measure out your garden and subtract any pathways or other areas that are not designated for growing food. We need the square footage for growing areas only.

Let us know if this is your first time completing a planting plan.

Select beds or rows. Rows are typically single rows, we will insert into the calculator the total number of row feet designated for each crop. Beds are wider and can include multiple rows within a designated area. For beds we insert the sq/ft designated for each vegetable into the calculator.

Step 2: Transfer data from your three maps into the Planting Plan Calculator

Starting with spring, for every vegetable you will be growing insert your ideal planting date (end date is calculated for you).

Select the spacing that you wish to use for each particular vegetable you will be planting (Note: plant spacing options are limited to optimal plant spacing).

Enter sq/ft dedicated to each particular crop; if you are planting in rows you will enter row feet here. The number of plants you will need to plant to fill the row or area, using your selected spacing, will then be calculated.

The final column will calculate the number of seed packs or six-packs you will need to order.

Continue down the list until you have all of your spring vegetables calculated.

When finished, continue to the summer calculator, followed by the fall calculator.

Step 3: Review the summary sheet

The final page of the Planting Plan Calculator breaks down your planting plan into three columns; spring, summer and fall. Each column highlights the number of plants, seed packs and cost for the season.

There is also a yearly overview section that provides you with an estimate for total seed and plant cost for the year in addition to the pounds of chicken manure fertilizer and straw bales you’ll need to purchase. (Note straw and fertilizer amounts are based on your inserted bed area and row feet.)

When you are finished looking over your summary, click submit, this will save a copy in our database for us. You will then need to print to save a hard copy for yourself.